Michael Leal, PT, DPT, MPT, OCS, FAAOMPT, is a licensed physical therapist in California and an Associate Professor at Southern California University. He brings over 20 years of clinical experience in outpatient orthopedics, currently serving part-time as Lead Physical Therapist at Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital in Whittier, California, where he treats a broad range of upper and lower quarter musculoskeletal conditions, spine-related issues, sports injuries, and post-operative care. He earned his Master of Physical Therapy from Mount Saint Mary's College and his transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy, with honors, from Regis University, where he later completed a Fellowship in Manual Therapy. He is a Board-Certified Orthopaedic Clinical Specialist and a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists.

Dr. Leal's academic career spans more than a decade, including faculty roles at West Coast University, Azusa Pacific University, Regis University, and Evidence in Motion, where he taught musculoskeletal practice, evidence-based practice, differential diagnosis, and clinical decision-making to entry-level DPT students, orthopedic residents, and manual therapy fellows. He has also guest lectured at various local physical therapy programs on clinical reasoning and the application of manual therapy techniques for the spine and extremities. He has designed original coursework for online and hybrid learning environments and has contributed to the field through book chapters, peer-reviewed publications, and national conference presentations, including multiple appearances at the AAOMPT Annual Conference.

Dr. Leal's current scholarly interest centers on training entry-level students to identify psychosocial variables and yellow flags during initial patient interviews, an area he continues to explore through simulation-based and technology-assisted learning approaches.

PT, California, United States, 28401, Active, 2003, October 2027

American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties, Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Orthopaedic Physical Therapy (OCS), 12920, 2007-07-03, 2027-07-03, California, United States

American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists , Fellow , 1030, 2011-08-03, 2026-08-03, Yes, California, United States